Casa Castagna

Sorana, Pistoia
Self-catering
+44 (0)7809615725
Visit owner's website

From
£125 - £135
per night
From
£825 - £975
per week

Inviting, inspiring, and perfect for 4. Off the beaten track in little-known ‘Swiss Tuscany’ is a treat for foodies and walkers

Bed

3 beds

Bedroom

2 bedrooms

Sleeps

Sleeps 4

£125 - £135 per night

£825 - £975 per week

The Experience

Wake to birdsong and sweet valley views. The walking is wonderful in the province of Pistoia, so pull on your boots and follow the Valleriana trail. Six hours later you’ll be under the pergola, basking in the evening sun.

This sunny three-storey house, its floors connected by steep stone stairs, lies in the mountain village of Sorana. The twin is on the ground floor and the double is at the top, its lovely old floors and beams intact. Each room is beautiful in its simplicity, and you have all you need – Alessi pans for the stove; logs for the burner. Every window faces south-west.

The restaurants are special in this untouched corner of Tuscany, not least ‘Da Sandrino’, just down the road. If you love wines, the wine estates around ancient walled Montecarlo (18km) offer tastings, tours and delicious meals.

Casa Castagna - Gallery

We think you'll love

  • Living in a mountain village that's barely changed for centuries
  • The contemporary, charming restoration
  • Discovering an area of Tuscany that is little known
Casa Castagna - Gallery

You should know

  • You need to be fit for the steep stairs and the hilly terrain
  • The nearest parking is 200m away
  • The last 6 miles of the route from Pescia is narrow and winding

Essentials

  • EV charger
  • Self check-in
  • Swimming pool
  • Hot tub
  • Garden
  • Open fire / woodburner
  • Breakfast included
  • Breakfast available
  • Meals available
  • Vegetarian meals
  • Oven
  • Parking on premises
  • Free parking nearby
  • Accessible by public transport
  • WiFi
  • Television
  • Central heating
  • Limited mobility
  • Wheelchair access
  • Mobile reception
  • Hob
  • Barbecue
  • Paid parking nearby
  • Air conditioning
  • Relaxation areas
  • Washing machine
  • Tennis court
  • Microwave oven
  • No smoking
  • Credit cards
  • Working farm
  • Owner has pets
  • Electricity included
  • Dishwasher
  • Pets welcome

Family friendly

  • Baby monitor
  • Books and toys
  • Children welcome
  • Babies welcome
  • Stair gates
  • High chair
  • Fire guard
  • Cot available

Nearby

  • Pub/bar within 3 miles
  • Restaurant within 3 miles
  • Shop within 3 miles

Activities

  • Bikes available
  • Food courses
  • Kayaking
  • Other courses
  • Sailing
  • Surfing
  • Wild swimming

Pricing

Nightly price
from £125
Weekly price
from £825
Damage deposit
£
1 House for 4
From £1253 beds2 bedrooms

Information

Special offer: LAST MINUTE 10% off on all remaining May dates - head to our website to book (discount already applied on the website)

Booking information

Check in
From 4pm
Check out
By 10am
Other details
Minimum stay: 3 nights. Children over 10 welcome.
Closed
Rarely.
No smoking
Smoking not permitted anywhere in the property.
Meals
Restaurants, 5-minute walk.

Reviews

Wow what a gem of a find Tuscany. My wife and I visited Casa Castagna in September with some friends for a relaxing getaway. We were greeted with a beautiful gift bag with local honey, award winning local olive oil and hand made soap all in a hand printed bag, a lovely touch. The house is stunning, sympathetically restored with stunning views of the valley and a great terrace for a meal and or aperitif. The beds were very comfortable with lovely linen with the name of the house embroidered for another lovely touch, The kitchen has everything you would want or need.

Mick

So I said in Oct 19 that Casa Castagna is a gem, best place we’ve stayed, and we’d return… and so we have! Post pandemic, and even more excited as I knew the standards that delight. Michelle and husband have created something truly special with this restoration town house up in the Tuscan hills. A design enthusiasts dream, luxury details, and you will be transported to a beautiful and authentic pocket of Tuscany. Favourite parts of the days are sunsets on the terrace, espresso in the morning and spa like luxury of the bedrooms and en-suites.

Carlie

I had such an enjoyable stay at the house. If you want a true experience of what it’s like to be in a magical hill town in the heart of Tuscany then this place is perfect for you. The house itself is exquisite, the detailing and the quality of all the finishes and superb linens - it really felt like a stay at a 5-Star Hotel. The communication was perfect from start to finish and they even have a fantastic app for your phone that tells you everything you need to know. The restaurants just three minutes away down the hill are perfect in every way serving pizza and wood-fired grilled specialties.

Irwin

We had an absolutely wonderful holiday. Michelle could not have been more helpful, I could not praise her higher. We loved the house and the views were to die for. We will definitely be visiting again.

Noilin

We have just returned from Casa Castagna after a great weeks holiday. The quality of the house, highly appointed kitchen, very comfy bed and general ambience of the house was beautiful. The views are amazing and hearing the bells around the valley makes you realise you are in Italy! Our favourite restaurant, Trattoria da Giulio in Lucca, was a perfect find whilst walking around the city walls. Great setting under the arches with delicious food, friendly staff who gave excellent service and very reasonably priced.

Claire & Adam

An amazing location, within driving distance of some of the best cultural and historical sites in Tuscany, but still secluded and authentic. The house itself is beautifully renovated whilst retaining its original charm

Freddie

A beautiful house in the most stunning part of Tuscany. The views over the valley when waking up each morning is really something special. The interior of the house is flawlessly elegant throughout, warm and comforting. The local authenticity of the area is a refreshing escape from the fast paced lives of home. By far my two favourite things about this house are the local restaurants nearby producing the best Italian cuisine and the natural pools to bathe in during the day when the Tuscan sun is at its best!

Thomas

What can I say...The most amazing place to stay! Glorious valley views from the villa windows and terrace. Beautifully and artistically furnished holiday property with attention to detail, without compromising on comfort...Tranquil evenings lounging on the terrace watching the sun go down. Wonderful restaurant nearby serving locally sourced Italian cuisine. A holiday to remember, I will definitely be returning!

Amanda

We had an amazing stay at Casa Castagna! We loved the views from the terrace, and the main bedroom, and the extra touches of the luxurious sheets, beautiful crockery, (with a choice of espresso cups!), and overall interior design of the house, which has been lovingly restored. We enjoyed walking directly from the house to explore the area, and visiting some of the neighbouring villages. Coffee & croissants in the local café and bar were lovely! We visited da Carla & La Pieve-both were lovely, and we tried the Sorana beans cooked in a flask at da Carla which was amazing! Everything was perfect!

Alison

From the upper windows, views across a wooded valley reveal medieval villages. Birds flutter and chirp. The cockerel crows and the church bell rings out the hours. Inside, the house is comfortable, stylish and well-equipped for our stay, and the detailed information provided by the owners makes everything easy. On our last day, we followed directions to the local swimming hole - a hidden treat and highlight of our holiday!

Anna, Teddington

A wonderful cottage in one of the most beautiful parts of Tuscany. Once you have mastered the way to the cottage for the first time - the description on the website is very helpful - it is not particularly difficult and leads to a picturesque small village. The cottage is fully equipped, beautifully furnished and perfect for four people. Visits to the local bar, the mobile shop coming every morning and to the multiple events on the little market square are highly recommended. Florence, Pisa or Lucca are the obvious places for visits.

Bianca

We had the most amazing time at Casa Castagna. It is in such a beautiful setting and we felt very at home. We did a lot of walks from the door, exploring the other villages in the area. We didn’t make it to the wine tasting in the end, but we did take up your recommendation of La Sandrino - that wild hare pasta blew our minds and our taste buds.

Shona

We had the most wonderful Autumnal stay at Casa Castagna and I could not recommended this beautiful house more highly. It’s the best place I’ve stayed; a real gem. The luxury standard throughout is just ‘wow’ whether that’s the Alessi & design gadgets in the kitchen with stunning Smeg oven and hob to create your own Italian delights, or the high quality of every detail that Michelle has put in.. in every room. The photos are great, but you will be blown away even more so. The Tuscan hills are quite something; a perfect base to explore Florence, Lucca and beyond. Definitely returning ..

Carlie, West Sussex

Recently back from a very hot week staying in this beautifully refurbished and thoughtfully equipped house. It had everything we needed and the owner Michelle was fantastic at responding to our queries, before and during our stay. We loved having breakfast and dinner outside, watching the constantly changing views across the valley. The village was characterful and friendly and getting up for the bread etc van an experience. Despite the appeals of the house, we dragged ourselves away to a couple of the local restaurants and had good food (including the local beans!) at modest prices.

Pyrs

We spent a wonderful week at this house at the end of Sept/early Oct. It has been beautifully restored and offers magical views from its windows and garden. The selection of books in the house was a bonus! Besides being great for lazy days the location is also a good base for exploring the region. We loved Lucca so much we visited it twice. We also visited Da Sandrino and Da Carla, two of the restaurants recommended by the house's owner and only five minutes drive away. Both were very good. I'd recommend the wild boar and olives at Sandrino and steak with green peppercorn sauce at Carla. I'd advise future guests to arrive at the house during daylight if possible. The 15 minute drive to it from Pescia is rather challenging if you aren't used to country roads. Saying that, the owner provides excellent directions

David & Adam

What a wonderful holiday we had at Casa Castagna. The house is beautiful and luxurious. We totally relaxed during our stay. The driving was exciting and you get used to the roads really quickly. One of our best days was driving out to some of the other villages - all beautiful and all different. There is a bus service throughout the day to Pescia for supples and train connections to Lucca, Montecatini and Pistoia. We were lucky to be in Sorana for the bean festival. The local people are incredibly friendly and we had a wonderful night of eating, drinking and dancing with them.

Alice

I loved discovering this part of Tuscany, thank you Sawday's! It is utterly unspoilt, a rare find today. The little house is charming, inviting, and cozy. One feels the attention to every little detail that has gone into making it a little gem of a place.

Heidi, Sawday's inspector

'We spent a happy week at Casa Castagna. The property has been beautifully restored and fitted with lovely furnishings. All the local restaurants were superb and the local Italians very friendly. A great base to explore the local area. Many thanks for a lovely holiday.

Angela, Alun and Heulwen

Read more reviews

Location

The neighbourhood

The forests around Sorana make for excellent trekking and biking. Sorana is one of ten fortified villages which make for a lovely drive through the area. The village itself is medieval, and famous for the white beans (the 'fagioli') of Sorana. Apart from 'Da Sandrino' there are three family-run restaurants within a five-minute drive, including two in Castelvecchio: 'Da Carla' and 'Bar La Pieve'. For shops, churches, a weekly market and 'La Baracchino' (the best ‘gelato’ in Tuscany), historic Pescia is a 15-minute drive.

Local points of interest from Michelle Frieda

  • Explore the 10 medieval fortified villages on foot or a lazy slow drive - each has its own unique character but all offer a window onto the unspoilt, authentic and utterly charming side of Tuscan life
  • Fagiola di Sorana, with IGP status, are grown only in this valley with its' unique microclimate. Production is strictly controlled over a few hectares - sample the beans cooked the traditional way over coals at local restaurant, Da Carla
  • Indulge in a spot of wild swimming in the river - directions to a secret local swimming hole revealed upon booking
  • Take an olive grove and tasting experience with local, Luca, who has several prestigious awards to his name. Or head for Montecarlo and the Buonamico estate to sample the best wines Tuscany has to offer
  • 'Love at first sight' walled city of Lucca is a mere 35 minutes; explore the walls on bicycle then discover the Piazza anfiteatro, an elliptical square where medieval houses cling to each other on the original foundations of a Roman amphitheatre
  • Florence and Pisa are an easy hour away; further afield explore Vinci, walk UNESCO site Cinque Terre (five villages cling to the rockface over the ocean), discover Fiesole (etruscan jewel), and marvel at the medieval towers of San Gimignano

Introducing

Michelle Frieda

The owners, a professional photographer and a horticulturalist, were captivated by the house the moment they set eyes on it – and its glorious views. A local lady looks after the house and the terraced garden when the owners are away. Guests enter with a key safe.